Five Best Food and Drink Evens in South Florida This Weekend: Crabs, Beer, and More

Congratulations: you made it through yet another working week. You might as well give yourself a pat on the back to celebrate -- or better yet, a drink or three. Whether you're looking to get in on some crabs, throw back a bunch of local beers, or go raw with healthy fare, there's something to get you going in Broward and Palm Beach Counties this weekend.

By the end of the workweek, the best thing to do is open up a bottle of wine and prepare a meal at home; although, that means you kind of need to know how to cook. If that's not the case, or you want to get out of the house, Publix Aprons Cooking School is hosting a Latin Revolution class on Friday at 6:30 p.m. For $45 per person, learn to make Barbacoa de Puerco, shredded pork with brown butter apple sauce; Madre Y Hijo, roasted chicken with rosemary potatoes; Vaca Frita, skirt steak with black bean broth; and Romeo y Julietta, guava tart with queso blanco custard. Reservations are required.

Publix Aprons Cooking School Plantation is located at 1181 S. University Drive in Plantation. Call 954-577-7632, or visit publix.com/aprons/.

4. Second Annual Palm Beaches Crab Cake Cook-Off

There are some dishes that when done right are absolutely amazing; however, when they're not prepared well are absolutely horrible. Crab cakes are one of those food items. It's time to find the best of the best this Saturday at the Second Annual Palm Beaches Crab Cake Cook-Off. From 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Lake Pavilion and Terrace on Downtown West Palm Beach's waterfront park, local businesses and restaurants will be competing against each other to win praise and money for childhood trauma. The event includes food and beverage tastings for guests. Tickets are $55 per person, $100 per couple; VIP tickets are $95 per person.

Most parties tend to be gluttonous in nature; you're probably stuffing your face with burgers and booze. It's not exactly healthy. On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Hippocrates Health Institute is hosting a salubrious celebration with its annual Rawstock health and wellness event. The event includes cooking demonstrations, raw food sampling, live music, a variety of health and wellness lectures, some hosted by Hippocrates co-directors, Brian and Anna Maria Clement, as well as a raffle for a one-week stay at Hippocrates as a grand prize. The event is free and open to the public.

Hippocrates Health Institute is located at 1465 Skees Road in West Palm Beach. Call 561-471-8876, or visit hippocratesinst.org.

When it comes to dating, options are key. On Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is giving you plenty of choices with its annual wine and food festival with food from over 40 restaurants, more 100 different wines and spirits, live music, lounges, and more. General admission tickets are $65 in advance, $75 at the door. VIP tickets are available for $125 a piece, which includes early entrance at noon, celebrity chef cooking demonstrations with Grand Marshall Steve Martorano, exclusive access to covered seating, and a VIP champagne toast. The event is benefitting Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Foundation.

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is located at One Seminole Way in Hollywood. Call 877-504-8499, visit thewineandfoodfestival.com, or email info@thewineandfoodfestival.com.

1. South Florida Brewers Guild Festival

Most food and drink events take place at night. That's fine and all, but sometimes you just want to get in bed early and watch some T.V. Some may consider it lame: others call it a hangover preventative. To keep the day entertaining, and full of beer, the South Florida Brewers Guild is hosting a festival of beer on Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. in Boynton Beach's Intracoastal Park. Over 30 breweries, food trucks, and live entertainment will be coming together for a great afternoon of brew.

Intracoastal Park is located at 2240 North Federal Highway in Boynton Beach. Call 561-742-6350, or visit floridabrewersguild.org/.